Painting Lamellar Armour

Lamellar armour was a widely used type of body protection, most often associated with Japanese samurai, but also used by the Byzantines, Romans, Vikings, Russ and other dark ages huscarles, and others of various periods and areas. Lamellar consists of small rectangular plates (lames) attached to each other at each edge or corner with leather lacings through small holes in the plates. Lamellar is similar to scale armour, which consists of overlapping plates (square or triangular) attached by rivets or leather lacings at the top edge to a leather shirt or coat. For illustrations of lamellar vs. scale armor, visit Norman J. Finkelshteyn's Silk Road Designs Armoury.

Lames were typically of metal, but could also be fashioned from wood, horses hoofs, hardened leather or other materials. They were often lacquered to protect the metal from moisure and/or painted, particularly in the far east, where black, red, blue and even gold were popular colors. For plain metal lamellar, consult the tips on Painting Metal. Here are some collected tips on painting lacquered or colored lamellar armies:

Painting Red Lamellar Armour

Nadin: Yes, after priming it white, I care not whose primer, paint one to two coats in a base red. Then wash once or twice with a darker red or brownish, and finally, hightlight with yellow. After that add details such as headlights things like that.

Thane Morgan: The red, non metalic armor can be done by basing with brownish red, drybrushing with red, using a really thin black wash, then a really light drybrush with red.

Fizz: I personally prefer using a flat red enamel, then washing it with black enamel.

Durdurk: If you want a metallic red, give the armor an even coat of a really shiny silver. Then, apply a red ink. Easy as that.

Steve Gill: Try painting with a dark metallic, drybrushing with a lighter one, then coating the whole thing in a red varnish (Humbrol and Tamiya both make them). This technique works well for any colour armour you want.

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Last Updated: Jan. 13, 2001

Comments, questions and additions welcome. Send them to Chris Brantley at IamFanaticus@gmail.com.